1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of wearing apparel and more particularly to apparel for cheerleaders.
2. Description of Related Information
Cheerleading has been a popular pursuit among students in grade schools, middle schools, and colleges for many years. In recent years, professional cheerleaders have been performing at football, basketball and other professional sporting events. Traditionally, cheerleaders have worn shortened versions of street clothing made in school or team colors. Female cheerleader uniforms, especially at the school level, often include a pleated skirt which is a shortened version of a classic pleated skirt such as might be found in collections of street clothing for women and girls. Such skirts are made of a layer of material, one side meant to be exposed and one side meant to be concealed next to the wearer's body. The concealed side contains the raw edges and seams which are generally unattractive in appearance.
The modern cheerleader is most often an athlete, a dancer, and a gymnast required to perform complex choreographed routines. The gymnastics and tumbling movements as well as the funk, jazz and other dance steps used by the cheerleader have led to requirements for apparel which will permit the desired movements. In addition, it is sometimes desirable to have the apparel of the cheerleader enhance the visual effect of the movements.
As a further consideration, there is also a need for school-aged cheerleaders in particular to maximize the investment made in cheerleading apparel. Cheerleaders often have to pay for their own uniforms and, since schools typically use one color for "home" games and the other for "away" games, multiple uniforms may be required which are identical except for the color.
Despite the introduction of shorts, leggings and other alternative types of clothing into the cheerleader's costume choices to permit the enhanced movements and visual effects, there is also a desire to maintain the traditional, classic look of the cheerleader wearing a pleated, short skirt for certain routines or portions of routines. Since, as stated above, the concealed side of the traditional pleated skirt is unattractive, it is undesirable for a cheerleader wearing such a skirt to employ moves in her routine which would tend to cause the skirt to fly up or flip outward. Further, the construction of such skirts may make such moves as splits and kicks restricted or impossible to include in the routine.
A new skirt is herein disclosed which solves the problems discussed above. The skirt is pleated so that there are no unfinished seams and edges to be exposed during the routines. The skirt is constructed with a plurality of panels which are connected to adjoining panels only a partial distance from the top of the skirt, thus providing for increased mobility of the wearer in cheerleading routines. Also, one side of the panels of the skirt is preferably made in an alternate color so that the design of the skirt also contributes to the visual effect of the cheerleader routine.
In the embodiment where an alternative color is employed on one side, the audience is able to view two or more team colors during the routine as movements are employed by the wearer. The skirt also presents the appearance of the classic pleated cheerleading skirt while the wearer is in a rest standing position.